Which Math Course is Better?

Applying to College
1

<p>So now is when I make the choice of what math to take. I have to decide whether to take AP Calc AB junior year then BC senior year or AP Calc BC junior year and Multivariable Calc senior year. I go to a magnet high school for science and math every other day. I think can handle BC them Multivariable but the advantage of the first choice is that both are AP classes. Which will help me more? The top school I want to go to is UVA. Also if it doesn't matter much, I think I would take AP Calc AB then BC for the less stress. </p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

2

<p>If you take BC then Multivariable, you will look like a math beast to colleges. However, I think the AB==>BC is going to be less trouble.</p>

3

<p>BC isn’t much more than AB, so I would do that. How good are you at math?</p>

4

<p>Thanks for the imput Lobzz. That is my biggest problem. Math beast or less stress?</p>

<p>Thanks also An0maly. I’d say I’m pretty good at math, always gotten an A for final grade.</p>

5

<p>Go for less stress. Just impress:)</p>

6

<p>haha nice rhyme. I’ll definitely take that into consideration. Thanks again!</p>

7

<p>The AB then BC is still extremely impressive!</p>

8

<p>To be honest, I think the “more stress” factor of BC is a joke. I’m taking it right now, and BC has an awesome curve, and most of the additional topics are just easier ways or extensions of AB concepts. The only brand new topic is Series which are confusing at first but really easy afterward, and they are very important in calculus.</p>

<p>MVC is where the stress will come. I have not taken it but I’m taking that next year, and a lot of the stuff in the book is like “*** lol?”. That’s probably because I haven’t actually read the material - just looked at diagrams and notations, however. It will be a good challenge I hope =]</p>

9

<p>An0maly:</p>

<p>To some the “more stress” factor of BC is a joke but I go to a magnet school where the math is twice as hard and we start learning college level concepts in freshmen year, for both math and science.</p>

10

<p>Could you describe the course there then? “College level concepts” is a very broad term. Regardless of your course, the BC exam will be an easy exam, so you don’t have to worry about that. Your school, on the other hand, could definitely make it very challenging.</p>

11

<p>It is very hard to explain, even I get confused sometimes. All I know is that some of the material we learn is out of college books and a lot of the stuff they teach is is very different then normal schools. This is why I am nervous about if I do BC and then multivariable calc.</p>

12

<p>Just because taking the first option gives you two AP courses doesn’t mean it’s better. What schools look for is whether you took challenging courses. multivariable calc is definitely better than any math course you could take in normal high schools. if you want to impress the colleges, then go for that option. but if UVA is really the only school you are aiming for, then taking AB and BC the following year is fine as well. that’s what i did and it got me into UVA and Johns Hopkins.</p>

13

<p>btw if you take AB then BC, you won’t even have to worry about your mid-year report math grade you would be very familiar with the things you learn in the 1st semester of BC calc because all those things are also in AB. the only difference with AB and BC is pretty much that BC has Taylor polynomial, McClaurin polynomial, series and Euler method while AB doesn’t. it’s like 2 or 3 additional chapters with the rest the same.</p>

14

<p>Thank you for the advice and congrats on UVA and Johns Hopkins! I know that the schools want me to take the most challeging courses but multivariable may be a little too challeging for me at that point. Also I will have to consider all of the other challeging courses I will be taking. Too much is just…too much and too much stress.</p>